The present invention relates generally to a steam distribution tube, and more particularly to an improved method of forming a jacketed steam distribution tube.
Steam humidification systems are commonly used to raise the humidity level in airflow ducts. Typical untreated air in the winter months has very low relative humidity, and it is desirable to increase the level of humidity in commercial and industrial facilities. This is particularly true for health care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. High relative humidity is also needed in industrial locations where static electricity is especially undesirable, such as in facilities housing electronic equipment, and in other industrial locations, such as fabric or paper handling, where a material must be prevented from drying out.
Steam humidification systems typically use dispersion tubes that are supplied with steam and have numerous orifices to discharge steam. Usually the dispersion tubes are positioned within air handling systems such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts to discharge steam into the air flowing through the ducts. Since the steam is warmer than the air flowing through the HVAC ducts, the airflow in the ducts has a cooling effect on the dispersion tubes. As the steam enters the dispersion tubes, some of the steam is cooled to the extent that it condenses into water. This is to be avoided because the water can be discharged through the discharge orifices in liquid form along with the steam in vaporous form. The result is undesirable dampness in the HVAC duct and other equipment.
Designers of steam humidification systems know that the tendency of steam to condense in the dispersion tube can be counteracted by providing a heated jacket around the dispersion tube to help maintain the dispersion tube warm enough so that condensation does not occur. A flow of steam through the jacket passageway keeps the dispersion tube from cooling off, thereby minimizing condensation in the dispersion tube. Known steam humidification systems also include a support structure attached within the jacket for attaching the steam tubes and aligning each of a plurality of orifices in the steam tube with each of a plurality of discharge orifices in each jacket. The process of manufacturing and assembling the dispersion tube and the support structure within the jacket, and aligning the orifices of the steam tube with the orifices of the jacket, increases the cost and difficulty of manufacture of the steam humidification system. It would therefore be advantageous to provide an improved method for forming a jacketed manifold and/or a jacketed steam distribution tube.